The bottom line is clear: Our vital interests in Afghanistan are limited and military victory is not the key to achieving them. On the contrary, waging a lengthy counterinsurgency war in Afghanistan may well do more to aid Taliban recruiting than to dismantle the group, help spread conflict further into Pakistan, unify radical groups that might otherwise be quarreling amongst themselves, threaten the long-term health of the U.S. economy, and prevent the U.S. government from turning its full attention to other pressing problems. -- Afghanistan Study Group

Monday, January 7, 2013

Reported security incidents#1: At least 16 militants were killed and seven others injured in a coordinated attack by US drones which fired a volley of missiles at three Taliban hideouts in the restive South Waziristan tribal region of Pakistan on Sunday. Four CIA-operated spy planes carried out the attack in Babargarh area of South Waziristan, security officials said. The drones fired 10 missiles at three militant compounds, which were destroyed. Some reports said the compounds were being used as hideouts by the Punjabi Taliban. Sixteen militants were killed and seven more injured, TV news channels reported.#2: A local policeman and two armed opponents were injured in a clash in Shindand district of Herat province last night, officials said Sunday. The Taliban attacked a checkpost of Afghan Local Police in Sanoghan area of Shindand district last night, leaving a cop injured, the Herat police chief Colonel Ghulam Sakhi Hussaini told the AIP. The police returned the fire, injuring two Taliban fighters identified as Mullah Hazrat Jamalzai and Mullah Maodood Sultanzoi, he added. Meanwhile, the Taliban spokesman Qari Muhammad Yousaf Ahmadi told the AIP a cop and a militiaman were killed in the gunfight.#3: 13 armed Taliban rebels were killed in military operations of Afghan and NATO forces in Helmand and Kandahar provinces. These Taliban targeted by Afghan and NATO forces while carrying terrorist activities in the outskirts of Panjwai district of Kandahar province and Sangeen district of Helmand province. BNA quoting from NATO press statement said, these Taliban lost their lives when they wanted to attack on security posts and a caravan of Afghan forces.#4: Afghan police have killed seven armed Taliban militants and arrested nine others during operations over the past 24 hours, Interior Ministry said in a statement released here Sunday. The operations were conducted in Kabul, Uruzgan, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Khost and Farah provinces during which a number of arms and ammunitions were seized by police.#5: According to local authorities in western Farah province of Afghanistan, at least 6 Afghan police officers are missing from a security check post in Pusht-e-Rud district. The Afghan police officers disappeared from the check post on Sunday evening.#6: In a separate incident and Afghan security service member was killed following attack by unknown gunmen in Farah province. Provincial governor spokesman Abdul Rahman Zhwandai said the attack took place on Monday morning, killing an Afghan security service member and injuring another one.